Spring showers, gluten-free deodorants, a lovely little bee balm, a Murad super-hydrator and Sonya Dakar’s take-a-year-off-your-face in 2 minutes flash face peel….here’s what made it into the bathroom this week:

L to R:

GREEN PEOPLE’sNEW Quinoa & Calendula Shower Gel. I love the ingredients (spring water, coconut, orange flower water, hydrolised quinoa, galactoarabinan – LOVE this word, it makes me think of an Arabic prince from an outer galaxy but it’s actually larch tree extract – aloe vera, marigold, lemon peel oil and more…) and it’s super fresh, hard to describe the scent, like a very gentle citrus but not really – stumped on this one! It’s for the face and body (avoid the eye area though) and it’s rather lovely! I need to do a lot more research on gluten-free beauty before I feel able to comment but if you like your beauty and bodycare products gluten-free, this one certainly is.

So is Green People’s new potassium alum, quinoa, zinc, aloe and rosemary-based QUINOA & PROBIOTIC GLUTEN-FREE DEODORANT…no gluten in this either. I’ve been using this deodorant for a week, admittedly it hasn’t been tested on marathons or in Hong Kong on a high humidity day but it seems to do the job (I’m a bit skeptical about natural deodorants).

Next up: NutraSphere Flash Facial by SONYA DAKAR (the Problem Skin Specialists is her tagline). This woman knows her skincare! I was chatting to Alexia at Cult Beauty around the time of our Awards last month and she raved about this so I had to give it a go. OMG! I cleansed and dried my face, spread a thin layer of this gel over it (away from eyes) and waited 2 minutes (one being the minimum). There was a definite alcohol moment (Alcohol SD 40 is one of the ingredients) but I waited it out for 120 seconds.

The incredible part comes next, which might make you doubt your cleansing routine! Gently rub your face in small circles and watch in semi-shock as little bits of dirty looking skin peel off…your first thought might be OMG (and “at least it’s DOING something”) but once you’ve washed it off with warm water, a younger looking you could be staring back at you in the mirror. I was pretty gobsmacked – my skin looked way cleaner, felt a little more taut and very (very) smooth…definitely visible results and I’m really enjoying using this one.

I can’t remember how often Sonya recommends you use this one-minute exfoliating treatment but I used it 3 days later to see what it would do again – same result. I think you could become sort of perversely addicted to this, watching the old, dead, alarmingly dirty looking skin peels off (or rather “pills” off!) before your complexion is transformed. There’s a novelty element to this product and it’s so tremendously satisfying watching it get to work to remove the old, dead skin cells. In fact just writing about it now makes me want to use it tonight. After it, finish with a really good moisturiser (or a mask). Interesting product. Thanks Alexia, you’

Gwyneth Paltrow is a big Sonya Dakar fan and you can find the products exclusively in the UK at Cult Beauty.

Speaking of a really good moisturiser, MURAD’S Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture (£55) has been floating my boat recently (Murad also do an Ultimate Moisture for Eyes, specifically). Hyaluronic Acid, the beauty world’s most effective moisture retainer/magnet contributes to this moisturiser’s staying power, along with avocado, shea butter, sunflower and olive fruit oils. I also have the Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence and when you combine the two, Murad claim you get 5 x the hydrating power (according to a study).

If you hate a vast array of beauty products targeting different things clogging up your bathroom cabinet, Murad’s Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture is one of those catch-all products, it’s perfect for mornings and before bed, it’s very light and feels so comfortable on, a real “drink for skin” formula.

It’s currently on SPECIAL OFFER with the Ultimate Moisture for Eyes, for a combined price of £85 – online only at www.murad.co.uk.

So! Last but not least, Barefaced Bee’s Glow Baby Balm is rather lovely. I disposed of the box during our Awards judging so all I have is a glossy black glass pot, but I remember it was good-oil super-charged, with jojoba, shea and macadamia, and it’s a fab multi-tasker for lips, cuticles, nails, hands and face. I really like the texture, it’s not overly greasy and it’s not too solid, and it’s been a lovely lip balm to use. I’m going to go back to using it on my face this weekend as I’m feeling a bit dried-out (lack of sleep/stressful week) so it’s going to be a Sonya Dakar 1-Minute Flash Facial followed by a generous application of Glow Baby Balm before bed tonight! If your feet need pampering, slather this over them and pop some socks on before you hit the pillow.

There’s more about this Bristol bee beauty brand in an interview with Angela Hall, Barefaced Bee’s founder – you can read it HERE